Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,690 in San Francisco versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,702 in San Francisco versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,714 in San Francisco versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in San Francisco is roughly 2% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Francisco 24% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 ₡4,360

$11.92 MX$206

-17.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 ₡26.2K

$51.6 MX$890

14.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 ₡4,886

$11.41 MX$197

-3.68%

Cappuccino

$4.36 ₡1,936

$3.99 MX$68.9

9.27%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₡577

$1.66 MX$28.61

-21.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₡802

$1.33 MX$22.87

35.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 ₡1,510

$3.47 MX$59.9

-2.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ₡1,922

$5.90 MX$102

-26.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 ₡1,097

$1.88 MX$32.36

31.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,357

$3.25 MX$56.1

-6.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,076

$2.16 MX$37.26

12.04%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,533

$2.90 MX$49.94

18.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 ₡4,753

$12.86 MX$222

-16.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 ₡4,602

$10.05 MX$173

2.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,211

$15.86 MX$273

-11.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.33 ₡2,369

$3.29 MX$56.8

62.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ₡704

$2.01 MX$34.60

-21.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 ₡2,098

$2.20 MX$37.93

114.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 ₡1,782

$2.36 MX$40.63

69.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 ₡1,728

$2.05 MX$35.43

89.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.65 ₡1,620

$1.90 MX$32.79

92.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡485

$1.61 MX$27.68

-32.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₡1,449

$1.40 MX$24.09

132.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 ₡2,685

$5.46 MX$94.2

10.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.78 ₡9,234

$17.65 MX$304

17.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₡1,265

$2.06 MX$35.44

38.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,596

$4.68 MX$80.8

-23.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 ₡563

$0.34 MX$5.84

273.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.7 ₡30.1K

$20.81 MX$359

225.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 ₡810

$2.10 MX$36.15

-13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 ₡731

$0.56 MX$9.64

194.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.73 ₡3,881

$5.81 MX$100

50.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡668

$1.61 MX$27.68

-6.83%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.1K ₡9.8M

$22.8K MX$393.8K

-3.35%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.5K ₡15.8M

$26.8K MX$461.2K

32.57%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$78.6 ₡34.9K

$65.2 MX$1,124

20.56%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$32.85 ₡14.6K

$30.09 MX$519

9.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.60 ₡21.6K

$37.18 MX$641

30.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.9 ₡32.4K

$59.8 MX$1,030

21.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$8.42 ₡3,743

$7.04 MX$121

19.60%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$986 ₡438.3K

$465 MX$8,012

112.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.6M

$13.3K MX$228.9K

28.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 ₡31.7K

$75.9 MX$1,308

-5.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 ₡24.7K

$56.0 MX$965

-0.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.8 ₡29.7K

$112 MX$1,929

-40.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 ₡24.5K

$121 MX$2,078

-54.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$813 ₡361.5K

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-26.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₡287.4K

$721 MX$12.4K

-10.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 ₡815.5K

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-27.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 ₡577.5K

$1,293 MX$22.3K

0.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 ₡394.0K

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-14.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

11.3

-22.30%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for San Francisco: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $813 in San Francisco and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in San Francisco vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $345 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

San Francisco vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Francisco and Mexico City differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,690 vs $1,660 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $813 in San Francisco versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 225% less than in San Francisco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $986 in San Francisco versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,690 in San Francisco, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in San Francisco. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, San Francisco and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in San Francisco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.